Posted by sweetmarie on April 8, 2001, at 6:02:05
In reply to Re: HAS ANYONE ..., posted by Shirley2 on April 7, 2001, at 16:25:25
Shirley,
I do understand your fear about the word "Most" because I seem to be in the .01 percent side effect category. Fortunately, I am getting enough benefits to feel like taking meds is worth it but I just wanted to let you know why I understood your fear.
As it happens, I have never really suffered any side effects from the medications I have been on. The only side effect I`ve had is the (quite considerable) weight gain I`ve had on Nardil. That`s been about the extent of it. To be honest, I would tolerate side effects, if it meant that I felt O.K. I`ve never discontinued meds due to side effects - it`s always been because they have had no effect on my mood. >
> I'm curious, what does this treatment resistant specialist propose to do that hasn't been done already?
Well, for a number of years, my illness wasn`t really recognised as such. In other words, although I`ve been suffering from depression on and off all my life (I`m 34 now), I always just told myself it would go away if I ignored it. So, I was always just treated by my GP. We all (me, family, friends, doctors etc) believed that it was based on circumstances etc. I preferred to see it this way, as it meant that I wasn`t suffering a mental illness (couldn`t deal with that concept). So, for a long time, my GP kind of chucked anti-depressants my way, without really giving any careful thought as to why the situation was persisting, and that I just wasn`t responding to the meds. It wasn`t until 3 years ago, when I began this horrible period of very severe depression, and had to be hospitalised, that I (and others) were forced to accept the reality. Even then, the first psychiatrist I saw `washed his hands` of me after the failure of two medications. I think he saw me as untreatable. I then went to another psychiatrist, who is my current psychiatrist, and she does take me seriously. Over the past 18 months, she has tried her best (with the best of her knowledge - which of course is not just about depression, but all other forms of mental illness too), but has failed to come up with the right thing for me. Last August, she realised that she had reached her limit, and referred me on to this specialist. As I said, he deals specifically with `difficult to treat depression`, which is certainly what I have. The point I`m trying to make, is that my illness was not really recognised as such until fairly recently. Therefore, I`ve really only just had a proper diagnosis, which was given to me from the afore-mentioned specialist when I saw him in January. So, in answer to your question, he has actually given me an accurate diagnosis, which will hopefully narrow the field in his choice of medications. He has much better knowledge of the treatment of depression (esp. resistant depression), and will therefore be better positioned to pinpoint the appropriate meds. I hope that this makes some sense.
Lots of luck with that.
Thanks. >
> Finally, there was a headline article on medscape about how treatment resistant depression may respond to exercise. I'm sure there was more to the article than was on the site but from first appearances, it sounded like very simplistic thinking. There is no question in my mind that exercise lessens depression for most people (oh there is that word again < g >) but it's clear from the posts on this board that there is more to that situation than just plain old exercising.
Yes, I know that there is a connection between exercise and relieving depression. Prior to 3 years ago, I did exercise fairly regularly, and it did go some way to alleviating the feelings. Sadly, my depression is so severe now that quite often just getting out of bed is all that I can manage. Exercise just isn`t an option any more, sadly.
Anyway, sorry for the extended posting. Hope you`re still awake after reading it.
Thanks a lot for your reply to my post, and your encouragement. >
Anna.
poster:sweetmarie
thread:59032
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20010403/msgs/59090.html